The island of Singapore had much influence from the people all over in Southeast Asia from India, the island of Java, and countries farther away, such as, Great Britain, China, and Japan. Invasions of Singapore brought different people with various cultures and ideas on the styles of art.

Birth of the Goddess is imagery developed from Indonesian mystical beliefs of fertility and the mystical powers of the female. This wooden sculpture is painted with the style of decorative traditions found in Indonesia. The artist is Gregorius Sidharta Soegijo who was born in Yogyakarta during 1932. He demonstrates a move from modernist sculptural formalism to an indigenous aesthetic of values and traditions.

The painting Struggle was done in 1981. This picture symbolizes the idea of weakness versus aggressiveness, and good against evil. The two delicate bird-butterflies are barely escaping the more sinister mythological creature represented by the bigger serpent and lion form.